Lunacy Fringe
by Razialle
Summary: 6th yr. The magic world is at war. Harry Potter’s world gets weirder and weirder everyday.People being killed, elven princes and unusual pairings. DMHP HGSB RWTT... no HBP spoilers
1. Maybe Memories

DISCLAIMER: Just playing with someone else's toys. Not getting paid, so don't sue.

1. Maybe Memories

* * *

Screaming was all Petunia Dursley heard coming from down the hall. The screams were coming from Harry's room. 

"Vernon! Wake up! Harry's been screaming in his sleep like that ever since he came back from, from that school. Please Vernon, we have to help him or send him back or do something!" Petunia whispered frantically.

All Vernon did was grunt, roll over and started snoring loudly.

* * *

Ever since Harry Potter returned to Privet drive, he had nightmares. Nightmares about the graveyard, the Department of Mysteries, the Veil and Sirius plagued his mind. During his waking hours, all Harry did was dread when he had to go back to sleep that night. He would wake up screaming and crying; his old scar burning to high heaven. He couldn't take it anymore.

* * *

Petunia reached the door, hand on the knob. She twisted it slowly, pushing it open very slowly, hoping it wouldn't creak too loudly and wake up Harry. 

She slinked in and stood staring. Harry was floating at least 3ft above his bed fighting with his blanket screaming something about something falling.

Finally regaining her senses she screamed "HARRY! Oh my lord, Harry!" She ran over to his and grabbed a hold of his arm and yanked downwards.

With a shrill squeak and a thunk, Harry was back on his bed panting staring wide eyed at Petunia.

"Oh Harry!" Petunia gasped, wrapping her arms around the boys shoulders, "What were you doing up there? Was something making you do it? Are you ok?" She took a hold of his face, looking at his with a look for pure concern on her face.

Harry was in shock, why did she care? She had never given Harry a second thought before, what happened? Wait, hadn't she just said 'what were you doing up there?'

"Doing… doing up where, Aunt Petunia? I was here in my bed… I didn't go anywhere I swear!"

Petunia didn't understand "Harry, you were floating above your bed screaming and writhing! You were screaming something about 'No, your letting Sirius fall! Get Sirius'… Isn't he your godfather? Did something happen to him, Harry?"

Harry was the one who didn't understand "He… He died… It was my fault…. But why do you care, Aunt Petunia, you've never gave a damn about me, why start now?" He said growing angrier and angrier. Petunia's eyes started to well up.

"I.. I realized that we have been unfair to you Harry, and I'm truly sorry. With you and Dudley at school and Vernon at work, I have a lot of free time. I spent a lot of this year while you were away at, at Hog… Hogwarts looking at photo albums. I found one I hadn't looked at in 15 years. The one your mother made and gave to me a week before she… before she..." Petunia couldn't hold the tears back any longer and let them flow freely down her face. "Oh your mother loved you and James so much! There are pictures of her and I when we were girls, pictures from Hogwarts, pictures with our parents, pictures of her and James. I have never shown it to you, Harry dear, but I will, I'll give it to you tomorrow for your birthday! Oh I'm so sorry I've made you so miserable all these years. I've just been afraid of Vernon, but I don't care anymore, you deserve better." Petunia looked way and stood.

Harry didn't know what to say or even think. His aunt, the evil wretched woman who made his life hell over the summer was all of a sudden trying to make up for her mistakes? This couldn't be right.

"Aunt Petunia… What, what made you change your mind about me? I mean, I didn't do anything different."

She just stared out the window. "i got another letter, not a howler this time, thank god, from Dumbledore. He asked me if I would reconsider my behavior towards you this year because something happened to you that would greatly affect you… What… What happened to Sirius?" She asked never once looking back at him.

"That man who killed my parents…"

"Lord Volde-whats-it?"

"Yes, him." harry saidhaughtily,"He tricked me into believing he had Sirius in the Department of Mysteries in London and being stupid, I fell for it going straight into a trap that he had set up for me. The Order fought against him and all his minions but one of them got to Sirius. His own cousin stunned him… and he fell… he fell through…"

Harry buried his face in his hands. Suddenly he was engulfed in a pair of arms. He sobbed loudly into Petunia shoulder, shaking like a leaf. Petunia started rubbing circles on the crying boys back trying to calm him down. In less than 10 minutes, Harry was silent and still. He had fallen asleep in Petunia's arms.

* * *

**"...As we trudge along through the mud  
And we tried to call it home  
But we weren't alright, not at all  
Not for one, for one, for one second..."**

**- The Used "Maybe Memories"**


	2. Yesterdays Feelings

DISCLAIMER: Just playing with someone else's toys. Not getting paid, so don't sue.

2. Yesterday's Feelings

* * *

Harry woke up with a start. He knew where he was but he didn't know how he got there. He sat up and looked around. His eyes stopped on a chair across from him. There was a blanket laid in it as if someone had been sitting there sleeping.

He smelled something cooking coming from the kitchen. That was odd, Harry usually cooked breakfast.

He stood up slowly and walked into the kitchen. He expected to see Vernon sitting at his place at the table, but all he saw was a used plate and a half full cup of coffee. Vernon had already been here and left for work. Dudley wouldn't be expected to eat the food Petunia was cooking; he was on holiday with the Polkisses in Germany. She and Harry were the only ones home.

This was too weird. It was his birthday and Petunia was making _him_ breakfast? This had never happened before.

Petunia turned around and saw Harry standing near the table.

"Good morning, Harry! Happy Birthday! I do hope you like pancakes. I'm baking you a little cake as well. Oh yes, and this came for you by one of those owls. I think it's from that Weasley family; it had a tired, beat up looking owl carrying the package. I carried him up stairs and put him in your owl's cage. She wasn't there and he needed a rest and some water so, I thought it would be alright to let him rest…" Petunia just kept talking and talking about what happened this morning. How she explained to Vernon what happened last night and what day it was. She also explained why he was on the couch.

"It was so I could keep an eye on you better. Anyway, I thought maybe if you weren't sleeping on that lousy, lumpy mattress you have you'd get better sleep. I must get you a new one. We'll go get one this afternoon, what do you think?" Petunia said beaming at Harry.

"Um.. Ok… But aunt Petunia, you mentioned, um lat night, um, about a photo album my mum gave you? You said you'd let me look at it…"

"I said I would give it to you, Harry, not let you look at it. I've had it and didn't use it like I should, you'll get more out of it then I will, I got to spend time with Lily, you didn't." She said, her eyes stating to glisten. "You will take it right?"

"I'd love to have it Aunt Petunia, thank… thank you." Harry smiled at his Aunt

"Your welcome Harry, now eat some breakfast!"

Petunia realized that was probably the first time she had ever seen her nephew smile. She remembered to try to make him do it more often.

* * *

That afternoon, they did indeed go and buy Harry a bigger, softer new mattress. They got home an hour before Vernon would have gotten home, so they went up to Harry's room to look at the photo album together.

"… And that was taken at school when we were 7 years old. It was Halloween and we were dressed up, see? She was a witch and I was a princess. I thought it was odd how she wanted to be a witch every year for Halloween until she got her Hogwarts letter. It was like she knew already or something."

Harry looked down fondly at his seven year old mum and aunt. The picture didn't move, but he could see how happy they were and that they were in a sort of parade going around their school showing their costumes off to the parents that came and all the others that were there. His mum wore a black robe and had a pointed black hat on her head and his aunt wore a pink dress with a glittering tiara set atop her blonde curls.

There then came the sound of the front door opening and closing. Vernon was home. Harry lifted his head and looked at the door, then to Petunia.

"What happens now?" Harry asked quietly.

"Vernon knows to behave. I threatened him with a divorce if he didn't start treating you differently." She said with a half smile.

"Why did you listen to Dumbledore? Did he say when he'd be sending someone to get me?" Harry asked trying not to sound desperate.

Petunia looked at Harry, then down at the picture of her and her sister.

"What kind of sister would I be if I didn't look after her only son? The only reason Harry, I ever mistreated you was because of what you were, I was scared and confused. I didn't know how to handle two little boys, one of whom could make things float or explode randomly…"

"I did that?" Harry asked with disbelief.

"Why yes you did. Lily did the same thing you did when you were little. I was six years old when Lily was born, I remember. Anyway, I was afraid you'd be a psychopath but never gave you the chance to prove you weren't. I listened to Vernon; he was the one who feared you. I knew that you lot weren't crazy, my sister was a witch after all. Magical folk couldn't be all that bad, but Vernon convinced me since someone tried to murder you, you were crazy and someone had the right idea of getting rid of you before you were a real threat. I really couldn't oppose Vernon; I was so upset of losing Lily and my parents. They came after my parents when they found out Lily was a , 'Muggle-Born', or something like that and would have killed me to if it weren't for Vernon. He took me out of there before they were murdered. I was just weak and easily manipulated. I'm so very sorry, Harry. Can you ever forgive a silly woman's mistakes?" Petunia sobbed.

Harry knew the woman was truly sincere about apologizing to him.

"I accept your apology Aunt Petunia, thank you for telling me everything and giving me the photo album. It means an awful lot to me..." Harry said, "Oh yea, and for my new bed." He added with a sheepish grin.

"Thank you, Harry." Petunia said pulling him into a hug. Harry hugged her back.

"Well, I'm going down stairs to start dinner. Oh, your owl's back with something." Petunia said pointing to the window.

Petunia left and Harry opened his window to let Hedwig in. A few seconds later two more owls started tapping on the window. Both were barn owls; both from Hogwarts.

Hedwig placed the parcels on his desk and landed on top of her cage eying a sleeping Errol angrily. She hooted reproachfully at Harry.

"What? He's old and tired, you'll get over it. He'll be gone in a day or so." Harry said giving her an owl treat. He walked over to his desk to untie the letter and parcels from the other two school owls.

Hermione, Ron, and Hagrid sent him birthday cakes and Remus, Dumbledore and the rest of the Order sent him birthday cards.

Harry read all the letters except Fred and George's, it felt full of something that wouldn't be to pleasant to be covered in if what he thought was in it was truly in it. He finally got to Dumbledore's letter. He gave the two barn owls treats and sent them off out the window. He opened it quickly.

_Dear Harry,_

_Happy Birthday, my boy! I hope you have a great one this year. I hope your Aunt Petunia has done as I requested to her. You should know what I am talking about and if in your reply to me you are confused by this, she should expect something worse than a howler in my next letter to her._

_Even though the term just ended, many things have been happening. We are in a world of War, Harry. There have been many casualties so far on both sides._

_This brings me to a point where I need to ask a favor of you. When the Order comes to bring you to headquarters next week, there will be a new house guest I ask you to befriend. He recently lost his father to the Dark forces. He refused the Dark Mark and now is targeted to be killed by Voldemort personally. He and his mother will be staying at headquarters with us until the term starts. Please act in a respectable manner and don't make things harder for him or yourself. You never know who you can find a great friend in._

_See you next Friday._

_Albus Dumbledore_

A cool breeze blowing through Harry's hair made him snap back into reality. Who had been killed? What was Voldemort doing? Who would be at Grimmauld Place? Why hadn't Ron or Hermione tell him about this new addition? Did they even know?

He ran a hand though his hair. Things were getting stranger and stranger. At least he got to go back to _his_ world in a week.

* * *

**"...Now all those feelings,  
Those yesterdays feelings will all be lost in time  
But today I've wasted away for today is on my mind..."**

**The Used "Yesterdays Felings"  
**


	3. Faceplant

DISCLAIMER: Just playing wiht someone else's toys. Not getting paid so dont sue!

3. Faceplant

* * *

Draco Malfoy stood on his balcony staring into the wood surrounding his home. 'It'll be awhile until I see this again.' He sighed.

Draco didn't want to leave his home at all, let alone early. Even if his mother was coming with him, he wouldn't be. This place felt like him, smelled like him, it was Draco's only comfort at the moment. His mother locked herself in her room for hours at a time weeping over the loss of Lucius. Narcissa loved Draco, but Lucius was her lover, her mate, she loved him like no other. He was cruel, tormented, proud, and a complete ass at times, but Narcissa knew the real him. He was loving, kind, gentle to her and her only living son.

Five years ago, Tromes Malfoy, Draco's older brother, was killed when he refused the Dark Mark. A boy only of nineteen was murdered by Voldemort himself. Tortured first of course, and then drained of all his blood while being kept alive by a new spell, Lucius himself created, to feel all the pain until the last drop fell.

Lucius went mad scheming, trying to keep Draco out of Voldemort's clutches. Last year Voldemort asked Lucius to bring Draco to him on his sixteenth birthday in February. Lucius played along with it. But last week things went wrong. Voldemort summoned Lucius to him and said in order to take over Britain faster, he would need all the Dark Children to come to him early. That's when Lucius had to refuse.

_

* * *

_

_**Flashback**_

"My lord, I will not allow you to steal away my son and turn him into a monster. I will fight you if I must."

Voldemort turned to face his right hand man. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, Voldemort; I will not let you have my son. He will not die young, he will not be spoiled, and I will not have it happen to him. I almost snapped when I saw what you did to my first born. Draco is my only son now and you will not touch him!"

With a high pitched laugh Voldemort shot the Killing Curse at Lucius Malfoy be fore he could even blink.

"The least I could do for my son, a quick, painless death," Voldemort hissed, "and young Draco will be mine, no one can resist me! NO ONE!" He spun around exiting the dark, dank chamber leaving Lucius' corpse to be eaten away by rats. Voldemort had no idea that hidden away in the corner was a severely angered and hurt Severus Snape.

Severus took Lucius' body to Hogwarts. Once he saw that Albus had taken care of everything, he set off planning exactly how he was going to protect his godson.

_**End Flashback**_

* * *

'Malfoys never cry, Malfoys never cry, Malfoys never...' Draco couldn't take it anymore. He collapsed onto his bed sobbing into the comforter. 

His mind was racing. In a week, he, Draco Malfoy would be at some headquarters for the Anti-Voldemort League locked away with his arch nemesis, famous Harry fucking Potter and the rest of the Golden Trio. Potter was going to be Draco's new best friend. How utterly delightful.

This only made Draco cry harder. He would no longer be a Slytherin, a cunning snake, but a Gryffindor, a lousy lion.

Protection. Sure, he'd be safe there, but everything he'd ever know was _here_. His home was _here. _He was a Slytherin, not a Gryffindor! All of his old friends would try to assassinate him now, sure, but still, why did he have to go to Gryffindor?

He though about it and realized that the only other worthy house of having him in it beside Slytherin was in fact Gryffindor. How could thingsgo so horribly wrong so quickly?

* * *

**"...They'll chase you  
On your way back home.  
Slam the door and jump in bed  
Don't you come out till it's safe.  
I guess that by then you'll be dead.  
Oh why must they come after me  
Why can't they pick on somebody else.  
It's like I did something wrong..."**

**Pepper "Faceplant"**


	4. Always Coming Back Home to You

DISCLAIMER: Not my toys, only playing with them.

4. Always Coming Back Home to You

* * *

It was two days before Harry's last week at Privet Drive ended. 

Petunia had taken Harry to the movies and even to the mall to get some Muggle clothes that actually fit him. Vernon ignored him as much as possible, but when he did talk to Harry, he didn't look so prune-ish.

Harry had a much better time at Privet Drive than he expected.

That evening, Harry was pleased to find Hedwig on his desk with a note attached to her leg. She stuck it out for him to take.

"Hey, girl. Who's this from?" Harry asked her cheerfully.

He looked at the note:

_Harry, _

_Please be ready by 9 pm this evening. I realize we are two days ahead of schedule, but there are certain things you and your friends should be briefed on at the same time. Sorry for the short notice._

_Albus Dumbledore_

"I wonder what they have planned." Harry thought as he started packing.

* * *

At exactly 9 pm that evening, five loud **_CRACKS!_** were heard coming from the backyard. Harry smiled. 

_**CRASH!**_

"Damn it, Tonks, I told you not to touch anything!" said a man's voice.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"We know, we know. It's ok, just hope they didn't hear that." Said an aggravated Mad-Eye.

Remus Lupin walked in through back door and stopped to smile at Harry leaning against the kitchen counter smiling back at him.

"Hello Remus, long time, no see."

"Hey Harry!" said Tonks excitedly, "I missed ya, kiddo! How ya been, mate?" She engulfed him into a large hug,

"Your killing me Tonks, lemme go!" Harry said although muffled by Tonks.

"Sorry! I was just worried bout ya that's all!" she said as she released him, blushing a bit.

"Oh my, what's that?" came an awed male voice form the backyard.

"Merlin, it looks like a birdfeeder to me, Arthur," said Molly Weasley, "Nothing to get excited about. Now get in the house so I can see my Harry."

Arthur came through the door, Molly right behind him.

"Oh Harry, dear! You've gotten taller!" Molly said pushing by Arthur to investigate Harry. "Hasn't he gotten taller Arthur? Oh my, yes. Your still growing Harry Potter, you'll fill soon just like Ronny!"

" 'ello, Harry. Nice to see you, where's all your things?" asked Mr. Weasley beaming from behind his wife.

"There up in my…"

Just then there were two more **_CRACKS!_** that came from upstairs in Harry's room.

Five second later, two identical grins entered the kitchen carrying Harry's belongings.

"Hiya Harry? Did you get more stuff since the last time we've seen you?" George said with a smile.

"Yea, this lot is heavier than…"

"Boys, why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

Fred frowned. "Didn't know we were,"

"Until Last minute,"

"You see, mum, "

"Ginny thought we took her last chocolate frogs,"

"You know how she is about her chocolate frogs,"

"She left it on the kitchen table,"

"Anyone could have gotten it"

"But she assumed it was us,"

"Because were gits according to her,"

"But it wasn't us…"

"Wish it were though, I could use one of those" Fred said rather haughtily.

"Oh my, I ate that frog this morning!" said Tonks as she slapped her forehead, "sorry, mates. I'll tell her when we get back."

"Thanks, Tonks. Just watch out for her curses, she's gotten really good at them some how." George said looking at Harry with a grin.

"Harry," growled Mad-Eye, "Where's Dursley? I need to chat with him."

"They aren't here; Vernon took Petunia out this evening. I'm leaving a note for Petunia so she knows I've gone with the right people. I don't want her thinking I've been kidnapped or anything."

"So Dumbledore did get through to you aunt?" Remus asked.

Harry nodded with a faint smile on his face. "Yea, she's been real nice to me, even Vernon has been better. He doesn't talk to me whenever he has the chance not to, but when he does he's not mean." He looked to Mad-Eye, "just leave them all alone would you, please"

"Aye, Harry, what ever you want." Growled Moody.

"Well, boys, you Apparate back with Harry's things. Molly, you should go as well."

"But Arthur, I…"

"I know you don't want to fly a broom al the way to London, dear. Please go with the boys."

"Fine, but its only because I hate flying and I love you! Take care of my Harry, you lot, or I'll skin you all when you get back!"

And with a loud **_CRACK!_** the three of them Dissipated.

"Alright," grumbled Mad-Eye, "let's get this show on the road. Come here, lad, I need to Disillusion you, again."

Harry stepped forward. Moody rapped on his head and the familiar sensation of an egg getting smashed on his head as cold trickles came form the tip of the wand down Harry's body. Harry once again became the human chameleon.

"Alright, out the front door, now. Arthur, do you have the Put-Outer?" Remus said, heading towards the door.

Arthur reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a silver object that looked much like a cigarette lighter and handed it over to Remus.

"Thank you. Alright everyone has their brooms with them correct?"

There were murmurs of affirmative and they opened the door and stepped out.

Remus began clicking the Put-Outer so none of Harry's noisy neighbors would see anything. Then he turned to the Disillusioned Harry.

"Ok Harry, listen. Shaklebolt, Jones and Doge are above us right now, don't be alarm when they come up along side you after you take off. Hopefully this year's trip will be better than last year; it isn't so cold tonight."

"Mount your brooms, the signal should be given in a second." whispered Arthur.

Tonks, looking up, pointed and sighed, "Isn't it lovely?"

Red and green sparks appeared above them twinkling amongst the stars.

"Alright, let's go." whispered Lupin.

They all kicked off at the exact same moment rising quickly into the cool, summer air.

* * *

About two hours later, eight people landed on the patch of unkempt grass in front of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. 

In an instant, a worn looking house appeared and pushed numbers eleven and thirteen aside to create space for itself.

Harry suddenly stopped. This was Sirius' house… and Sirius would not be inside.

Remus turned around to see Harry just standing and staring. He understood.

"Harry, come on now. Things aren't what they seem." He said, his face hinted of a smile. He sighed and reached out for him; Harry took his hand and allowed himself to be lead inside.

Harry had no idea whyRemus would be smiling. He was the last of the Marauders. Sirius was gone.

Lupin lead him into the kitchen and everything stopped. Everyone was looking at him, but Harry only looked to one set of eyes. Worn, blue eyes stared back at him, smiling.

Harry was staring at a very much alive Sirius Black.

"How are you here," Harry said in a very small voice, "your dead, I saw you fall… you fell… how did you make it…" He had to be in adream again.

This was too much. Sirius Black, his supposedly dead godfather, was now on his knees in front of Harry holding his hands in his.

"I came back for you, Harry! Bella only stunned me! I merely **fell** through! I could hear you scream for me on the other side…" he looked down and when he looked back up, he was letting the tears flow freely down his face. "I knew I could make it back, so it crawled back up, over lost souls, all the way back to the opening. I made it through. I laid there for what seemed like days, finally getting enough strength to stand and walk. Luckily it was night; I could stumble my way through the Ministry without so much worry about getting caught. When I made it to the Apparation point, I Apparated here. Remus found me and though he was going crazy. Finally Molly came in after hearing him scream and well, I'm back and better now, Harry, I swear I wont leave you ever again!"

Harry collapsed into his godfather's open arms, darkness engulfing him.

* * *

**'...No matter where I am, no matter what I do  
I'm always coming back home to you  
They can leave me for dead they can take away my true  
I'm always coming back home to you  
Through the lies and the sins that ride the wind that blew  
I'm always coming back home to you  
As sure as the life in the garden that you grew  
I'm always coming back home to you  
No matter where I am, no matter what I do  
I'm always coming back home to you  
If only I had known what you already knew  
I'm always coming back home to you  
From the heaven I've had to the hell I been through  
I'm always coming back home to you..."**

**-Atmosphere "Always Coming Back Home to You"**

* * *

Author's Note: Ok, ok, so the Malfoys are going to be a tad OOC.I mean, Draco's going to be a Gryffindor now, he has to change a _little_ bit. Both Malfoys will be in the next chapter after Harry wakes up and realizes he isnt goign crazy. And yes, all evil will be slain at the end of this, or if not, in the sequel if things go well enough. Is it that obvious thatI love The Used?I didnt think so Malfoy smirk 


	5. Break My Fall

DISCLAIMER: not my toys, only playing with them.

5. Break My Fall

* * *

Harry yet again woke up in a place he knew, but didn't know how he got there.

He got up from his bed in him and Ron's room and stared at the back of the door.

He remembered. So of the Order members came and got him form his aunt and uncle's and brought him here. He went into the kitchen and Sirius…

Sirius.

Sirius was alive.

At that moment, Hermione opened the door and smiled at him. "You're awake!"

"Yea, um... Mione, I'm not crazy am I… Is Sirius really…"

"Yes, I'm alive" came Sirius' voice from behind Hermione. She stood aside.

Harry ran into Sirius' arms and sobbed. "I thought you were gone forever."

"I would have been if it weren't for you. I saw your dreams Harry, I knew you needed me."

Harry looked into Sirius' face. "You… you saw them?"

"Every one of them. I saw how you battled for Lily, James, and me all those nights against Voldemort. I was impressed; you did moves I never even though existed. Can you really do all those things?" Sirius said curiously.

"No, but I want to learn how. I can do all the spell work though; everyone in the D.A. can do those." Harry said with a grin.

"I missed you, kiddo." Sirius said.

"I missed you, too." Harry replied.

Hermione cleared her throat. Even though it was a precious moment, she and Sirius had something to do.

"Ahem, right. Harry? Dumbledore's down stairs in the kitchen waiting for us. He wants to make an announcement." Hermione said after waiting for the two to break apart.

"Yea," Sirius agreed, "let's all go down stairs."

* * *

When they entered the kitchen everyone was chatting with one another.

The Weasley children were all listening to Fred and George explain their latest invention. Even Percy was paying attention.

Remus was at the end of the table listening to everyone talking around him, reading the Daily Prophet, sipping coffee. He smiled warmly at them.

Tonks, Molly, Arthur, Mad-eye Minerva were talking together with Dumbledore. He was the first to look up at Harry.

"Hello, Harry. Feeling better?"

"Yes sir, thank you."

The rest of the table chorused in a big 'Hey, Harry!' that made Hermione giggle. And Hermione giggling made Ron blush.

Harry went and sat in the empty seat next to Ron, across from the twins and Percy. Sirius sat next to Harry and Hermione sat between Mrs. Weasley and Ginny.

Dumbledore looked down the table at Harry and said "We will be getting along with the announcements soon as Severus and our guests arrive. But I would like to say to everyone that I am expecting the best behavior out of the children," he glanced over at the Weasley children, "and the adults who decide to act like children." He then glanced at Sirius who smiled innocently.

Then the fire in the fireplace turns bright green, startling those closest to it.

Severus Snape, Narcissa Malfoy and Draco Malfoy stepped out the fire one right after another.

Moody growled, "Malfoys! What are they doing here, Dumbledore?"

"They are our guests, Alastor. Please behave yourself." Dumbledore said calmly. "Please sit down, all of you."

Harry noticed that Remus, Sirius and all the Weasley boys were standing as well. They all sat down at Dumbledore's request.

The Malfoys sat at the end of the table next to Remus and Snape sat on the other side of Draco separating him and Ron. Ron looked ready to kill at the fact Draco was here, but looked terrified at the fact that Snape was sitting right next to him.

Harry couldn't help but chuckle in the tense room. No one could hear him; everyone was talking all at the same time, and they weren't getting anywhere.

"Stop!" Dumbledore said as he stood and raised his hands. Everyone went silent. "Listen to me. Severus was not the only spy for the Light. Lucius also spied for us, but no one knew except for Severus and myself. The Dark Lord asked Lucius to bring him Draco to give him the Dark Mark, Lucius refused and was killed. Voldemort is now after Draco, he wants him to take his father's place next to him. We have different plans. Narcissa and Draco will live here for now and at the beginning of the school term; we will be transferring Draco into Gryffindor, seeing how he staying in Slytherin could be dangerous."

Ron and Harry looked at each other. Draco Malfoy… a Gryffindor?

"It is our responsibility to befriend the Malfoys and make the blow of their loss lessened. Harry, Ron, Hermione, please be civil with Draco. I ask of all four of you to try to become friends. You aren't that different after all. Oh yes, and Sirius, I hope you don't mind your cousins coming to stay. You were friends once, one not again."

"No… No of course not. Welcome Narcissa. Draco. I'm… I'm sorry for your losses." Sirius said sounding very forced.

"Thank you, Siri. I've missed you, you know. I'm sorry we disagreed on so many things. I wish we could have been closer. I miss all those times at Black Manor when we were children." Narcissa said sincerely. She had a lovely, hushed voice. Sirius nodded.

'_Siri?_' Draco and Harry thought at the same time. Draco looked across the table at Harry. Harry smiled at him. Draco tried to smile back but got something mixed between a scowl and a smirk.

"So, as for what rooms you'll be staying in. Draco, for you I expanded Harry and Ronald's room and added and extra bed and wardrobe. I hope you'll find your comfortable there. Narcissa, there is a room father down the hall on the second floor that I believe you'll find pleasing. You'll also find that your personal things are in their designated rooms. I hope we all get along swimmingly. Now, let's eat some breakfast."

With a wave of his hand, Dumbledore summoned many plates full of breakfast items. Everyone, especially the twins, tucked into the food.

Harry and Ron looked at each other again. Malfoy would bet sleeping in the same room as they would were.

As they ate, it was quite obvious to Harry that they were planning something. Harry guess it was probably something concerning how to properly _welcome_ their new housemate.

* * *

After lunch (AN: Harry slept in, ok? Sheesh), Snape took Narcissa to her room and the boys took Draco to theirs.

"Nice place you got here, boys," said Narcissa as she peeked in while passing to do to her room. "I'm sure you _will_ be comfortable Draco."

"Yes, I suppose so, mother." He said as she started walking down the hall.

Harry sat on top of his trunk while Ron spread out on his four-poster bed. (AN: and if the bed weren't four-poster before, they are now!) Draco stood in the middle of the open space.

"I... I wanted to say," Draco began with out looking at them. "That I am truly... I'm sorry for harassing you at school. I've…. I've come to terms with myself. I'm an arrogant prat and I'm fine with that. I'm sorry you've been the ones on the receiving end. _I_ didn't even know my father was a spy for the Light until after he died." He looked up at Harry. "I hated the both of you because of what my father said about your families. I really never got the chance to properly meet both of you and learn what you're about."

Harry just stared back at Draco for a second before smiling and saying, "I forgive you, Malfoy. I hated you for the same reasons. And of course the way you treated me."

"Yea. Sorry I guess, Malfoy. I mean, you were a slimy git. We had ever right to hate you..." Ron said.

Harry gave a loud sigh.

Draco gave a small smile. He turned and sat on his bed.

"Well, uh... Harry, I'm going to go see what Hermione's doing. Do you want to come?" Ron asked eager to get out of the same room as the Slytherin.

"Nah, I think I'll stay here with Draco," Harry said, he saw out of the corner of his eye Draco looked at him with a smile on his face. "Tell her hi for me though."

"Alright mate, see you. Bye Draco." Ron said as he hurried out the door closing it after him.

Harry looked over to the Slytherin. If he had been smiling, he wasn't now. He had a look of placidness, but Harry could see, underneath his shell, Draco was about to break.

"I'm sorry about him, Draco. It's going to take awhile for him, and myself, to adjust to having an old arch-nemesis as a best mate." Harry said with a slight shrug.

Draco shrugged. "Well, I didn't expect you both to jump into my arms like we're long lost brothers or something. I realize you hate me. I'm not blind you know." He said with a slight snarl.

"I don't hate you, Ma… Draco. I just didn't know you. I still don't, but I would like to."

Draco looked apprehensive, but stood up and walked over and sat on Harry's bed. Harry got off his trunk and sat next to him. Harry held out his hand to the other boy. Draco took it and Harry started shaking his hand.

"Hello, I'm Harry Potter," Harry smiled.

"I'm Draco Malfoy. Pleased to meet you," Draco said with a nod.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Green, silver and black."

"Duh," Harry said as he smacked his forehead.

"What about you? Let me guess, red and gold?'

Harry grinned and nodded.

"What your favorite animal?"

Draco smiled.

* * *

After about 2 hours, they had asked each other everything they could think of to ask. Everything from 'what's your favorite planet?' to 'how many killing curses do you know?'

They then started telling each other about 'first times'.

"… and that was the first time I broke my arm."

"Wow, you've broke just about everything!" Draco exclaimed after about the seventh story of 'first broken bones'. "How did you break so many?"

Harry really didn't want to answer _that_ question.

"Well…" he started shakily, "my uncle he... You know, sometime I would do something stupid and he would put me back in line. Nothing too serious, nothing permanently damaged."

Draco just looked like he had been slapped. The Boy-Who-Lived… abused? This couldn't be right.

"Harry, he… he hit you?"

"He only did it when I did something stupid!' He said with anxiety in his voice, "it's my fault! I go what I deserved!"

"And what exactly did you do for him to do such things?" Draco asked, getting angrier and angrier at this unknown Muggle by the second.

"Exist," Harry said in a very small voice, tears starting to roll down his face.

Draco didn't know what to do. The Golden Boy was sitting right next to him admitting to him that his uncle had hit him.

'Weasel King probably doesn't even know about this. Why is he telling _me_?' Draco though. '_What do I do?'_

Draco did the only thing he could think of to make him feel better. Draco slid his arms around Harry, making Harry jump at the sudden contact.

Harry froze. Draco Malfoy was holding him. He didn't mind it too much. He snuggled into Draco's shoulder and quietly sobbed, wrapping his arms around him.

* * *

They sat there like that for awhile. Then Harry sat back, breaking the contact.

"Why didn't you try to get me back as a friend after what happened on the train?" asked Harry as he wiped his eyes.

"I was intimidated by you. I thought once you judged a person; you didn't give a second chance. I guess I was wrong about you, pot… I mean, Harry." Draco smirked. "Thank you. I think we can be friends. We've been in close range to each other for almost three and a half hours; I think we can help not jinxing each other."

Harry smiled back. "Yea, I think your right. I'm glad you've changed Draco."

'Yea, easier and sooner than _I_ expected.' Draco thought silently to himself.

* * *

**"...I am losing you again let me out and let me in  
'cause you're not alone here not at all  
let me belong here break my fall  
shelter me from this again  
dedicated to the end  
help me break my conscience in  
to free us from our innocence..."**

**-Breaking Benjamin "Break My Fall"**


	6. Never Say Never

DISCLAIMER: still not my toys, just playing! I promise to put them back!

6. Never Say Never

* * *

The next week went by smoothly, only minimal jinxing bouts between the twins and Malfoy. Harry helped sometimes defending Malfoy against the twins but he never really did any help, he only made it worse.

Most of the time, Harry and Draco spent time together talking about whatever they felt like talking about. They never got back to Harry's abuse, and Draco kept failing to mention anything about his.

One day, Mad-Eye came upon the four in the drawing room and thought Draco was holding Harry hostage, (he was actually just using him as a human shield against the multi-colored Goo-shooters Fred and George invented.) and recreated the ferret incident.

Moody barged in, shot the curse at Malfoy, then rounded on the twins.

Fred and George fell to the ground roaring with laughter.

The little ferret looked at the twins and Harry could have sworn he saw him glare at them. This caused Harry to start laughing as well.

Moody glared at the laughing boys, they had obviously not taken this as seriously as he wanted them to.

Harry had to go get Narcissa to beg Mad-Eye to return her son to normal before he'd actually do it. By the time Harry got back with Narcissa, the twins were levitating upside down as they argued with Moody.

"He shouldn't be getting Harry in the way of dangerous curses!" growled Mad-Eye.

"They weren't curses, Moody!" started George pulling at his shirt.

"Yea, you think we're that daft?" Fred said indignantly.

"They were Weasley Uber-Duber-Goober-Shooters,"

"We sell them in the shop!"

"It wouldn't have hurt either of them,"

"Only changed them different colors,"

"You get hit with the purple you turn purple,"

"Yea, you git! Notice how Harry's green and orange?" Fred concluded, pointing to Harry's chest.

Indeed, Harry was green and orange from his chin to his shins. None of them had noticed until the twins pointed it out.

"Alright boys," Moody growled resentfully."Just stop the battling. You never know what could happen, one mispronounced word, one missed wand movement and you'd have to live the rest of your existence as dust in a jar."

"Yes, be that as it may, Mad-Eye, will you please return Draco in his normal state and get those boys off the ceiling?" Narcissa said glaring, with a hint of a smile.

Moody nodded, flicked his wand up at the boys; they crashed onto the floor ina tangled heep.

Before turning Draco back, he looked the little ferret right in his eyes and said "Don't you ever hurt Potter or i'l have your hide, boy." then slumped out of the room.

Draco stood p and dusted off his clothes. Everyone, inclusing Narcissa, started to giggle at the look of Draco covered in a thich dust grime. He had been the only one not to laugh.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Ron had pulled Harry aside to talk to him about something in private. He had grabbed him and taken him into the pantry.

"Ok, Harry. Listen to me, mate." Ron paused to take a deep breath. "Malfoy being around is driving me mad! I just accept him yet; I still hate him! He's been a bloody wanker to us for how long now?"

He paused and looked to Harry for an answer. Harry shrugged.

"Going on six years, Harry! I need to get out of the room with you both. I was wondering if it would be alright if I ask Dumbledore to move my stuff up into Fred and George's room. You know, have him expand the room like he did with ours. Do you think he would? Are you ok with it, I mean, I wont go if you don't want me to leave you alone with Malfoy. I still don't know if we can trust him, you know…"

Harry sighed, "yes, Ron. I do know. I've been just trying to tell you that I think he's changed. I really do. I trust him, but yes, I don't mind you going. I'll get to Dumbledore when he arrives."

A flash of green filled the pantry from under the door.

"Oh, hello, Albus!' welcomed Mrs. Weasley from outside the door.

"Hello Molly, where are Ron and Harry?" said a familiar, cheery voice.

"In the pantry, not quite sure why though..." Molly replied sounding slightly puzzled.

"Ah yes, of course. Not to worry, Molly, dear."

Harry pulled open the pantry door a bit to see Dumbledore, standing very close to his face, staring back at him. Harry screamed and jumped back into the shelves hitting his head.

Ron and Dumbledore started laughing. "Can I join you?" Dumbledore asks.

"Sure" Ron says still laughing, "We were just talking about you anyway."

"Ah, excellent timing I have then, don't I boys?" Both boys nodded with a smile.

Dumbledore stepped inside and closed the door. "How may I be of service to you both?" Dumbledore asked looking at Harry who was still rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, um… Ron doesn't feel comfortable being so close with Draco yet, sir. He wants to bunk up with Fred and George. Do you think that's possible?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, then he looked to Ron. "Is this true, Ronald?"

Ron nodded.

"Alright then, I'll go up stairs, inform Fred and George, and move your belongings. Thank you for doing this discreetly." He looked to Harry, "Harry, Draco's bed will be moved to where Ron's was, that's alright isn't it?"

"Yes, sir, I don't care when he gets moved around to. Harry said brightly. Ron smiled.

"Excellent! Thank you, sir. I mean, I don't hate Malfoy like I use to, I still thinks its odd to be friends with him all of a sudden, you know, after all the horrible things he's done to us. I don't like being so close to him and still not knowing him as well as I think I should. I just need a little more time and I'll get use to him."

Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you, that's all that I ask of you, Mr. Weasley. Just try." He opened the door, went out and closed it behind him.

"Well, that was easy." Ron breathed out as if he had been holding it for a long time.

Harry nodded, "Yea, well, be glad that he's doing it and it just so happens to be now. Lets, um, get out of this pantry." He opened the door and stepped out, smiled and gave a nod to Mrs. Weasley, then went up stairs to his and Draco's room. _His and Draco's room! _

'Holy shit,' Harry thought. 'Draco and I are sharing a room. Am I crazy?'

He walked very slowly down the hallway, past the blasted away picture of Mrs. Black, all the beheaded house elves and all the other dark and creepy rooms of Grimmauld Place.

Then he got to his door. He stood there and stared at it. Just reached for the doorknob, it started twisting from the other side of the door.

Harry jumped back. He was staring into the gray eyes of none other than Draco Malfoy.

They both just stood there and stared, not knowing exactly what to do.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Draco finally said "Ron, moved out them? Is that why there's only two beds left in there, with _our_ belongings still remaining? He doesn't trust me, does he?" Looking down at the floor, moving aside so Harry could enter.

Harry walked in slowly past Draco looking at him, trying to get him to look back up at him.

He failed.

It appeared to Harry that Draco was upset that Ron hadn't accepted him as fast as Harry had.

"Draco, I'm sorry that Ron couldn't accept you as quickly as I did. He did move out, obviously," he said growing a little red. "He's up in the twins' room. Dumbledore did it when he arrived for the meeting. Speaking of which, that should be staring soon. Too bad we can't get in on it." He turned and sat down on his bed.

* * *

Draco had gladly changed the subject. He wanted to know what has been happening and how soon will it be until he gets to kill Voldemort for killing his family.

"I'm going to kill him, Harry, just you see…" Draco started again for the millionth time it seemed, looking angry and clenching his fists.

"No, Draco, I'm going to have to kill him, the prophecy says that I'm going to kill him or he's going to kill me. That's the way it's going to work. I told you, I'll let you help, maybe just watch. I don't want you getting hurt."

Draco, who was sitting on Harry's bed right next to him, finally lifted his gaze from the floor to Harry's profile. It was Harry who was now staring at the floor.

"Harry, why do you care about me?" Draco practically whispered.

It took Harry a second to register what he had said and that Draco was now trying to talk to him.

He looked up into the gray eyes again and lost it.

"Ever since the day on the train I knew there was something different about you, Draco Malfoy. All those times you were a git to me and made my life hell, I knew that you only did it for show; I knew that you wanted to be my friend but you didn't know how to approach me ever since what happened on the train. I wanted to be your friend. I never thought I could happen. _Gryffindor and Slytherin? Friends? _**No way!** And now that I know a lot more about you than I use to, I realized that I wanted Ron to get out the room so I could be with just you more. I helped him get out of the room. I know it hurt your feelings that he didn't want to be in the same room as you. But what I said was true, he still doesn't trust you, but he's trying. He wants to be your friend too, Draco; he's just been influenced by his father who has hated yours for who knows how long. I'm sorry that things are this way, but that's how it is. I really do like you Draco." Harry said, his voice fading into a whisper.

Draco closed his eyes for a second then looked into the vivid emerald green eyes that were Harry's.

He took a breath and said "Harry, are you gay?"

Harry just stared, wide-eyed. He had only realized he was gay after the incident in Hogsmeade with a certain Ravenclaw girl in 5th year.

Harry gulped and gave a tiny nod.

The next thing that happened, Harry hadn't quite been expecting.

Draco had smiled, and then leaned forward pressing his lips against Harry's.

Harry gave a little gasp as Draco's tongue ran across his lower lip asking permission to go farther. Harry opened his mouth slowly and found Draco's tongue with his.

The kiss seemed to last forever before Draco pulled away.

He smirked. "Sorry, don't want anyone finding out about us just yet. Do Ron and Hermione know about you being…"

"Yea," Harry said, before Draco could finish, "I told them when I realized it myself."

Draco smiled. Harry looked down at the floor with a grin, then looked back up at the Slytherin.

"When did you realize that you were, you know.." Harry said turning a shade of pink.

"I was in 4th year. Pansy decided to bring Zambini to one of our 'meetings'. Let's just say she was a little upset when we started paying more attention to each other than to her." Draco said with a smirk, also a little pink.

Harry laughed. "I bet she was mad, wasn't she?"

"Bloody livid, she was. She screamed at us when we were too bust to pay attention to her. I still don't know what she said to us."

Harry, still smiling, asked, "So what does this mean… I mean, what's going on between you and me now?"

"Oh, I don't know. Not sure if anything's happening yet. Just never say never." He said, and with a wink, he was out the door.

* * *

Harry sat on his bed with a goofy smile on his face for a long time.

Sometime later, Hermione came into to bother him about their summer homework assignments. Harry couldn't concentrate on what she was saying to him. He caught something about Transfiguration and McGonagall's essay.

Harry Potter realized that he was falling for Draco Malfoy.

* * *

**"...I might like you better if we slept together  
I might like you better if we slept together  
I might like you better if we slept together  
But there's somethin in your eyes that says  
Maybe that's never...Never say never ..."**

**- Romeo Void "Never Say Never"**

**

* * *

**

_AN: Sorry that took so long ot get out. i had writers block, then all of a sudden i was inspired and wrote more than half of if it in one sitting. I'm trying to write this as much and finish as soon as possible whenever i do write somthing. I have school, job,_ _realtionship and other miscellaneous crap i have to do as well so, i got a busy schedule._

**REVIEW! **i'll keep writing and will want to get more out and faster if you review. Tell me what you like and what you dont like and what you wan tot see happen. I'll consider every suggesttion thrown at me. I'm open!

The beginning part with Moody, i didnt like it, but i thought it could go there. Thats what i got stuck on. I couldnt figure out what to say or have what do what. i left ti be adn hope you guys dotn hate it as much as i do.

Razz


	7. Just The Way You Are

DISCLAIMER: Just playing with someone else's toys. Not getting paid, so don't sue.

**AN:** ok, I know I took way too long to get this thing out but I've been swamped with everything! I'm in journalism so I have to run the school paper and being Co-Editor takes away time from my true favorite form of writing.. le sigh... anyway, sorry for being so long and the reviews definitely encouraged me! Keep em up and maybe I'll start pumping out chapters faster!

7. Just The Way You Are

* * *

_**Three weeks have passed.**_

Things around Grimmauld Place were definitely changing.

The members of the Order were working around the clock tracking and spying on Voldemort.

He was last rumored to be in Romania. Charlie, Bill and a team were sent looking for 'overgrown snakes.'

Sirius and the restless teenagers were often found in the sitting room playing wizard chess or telling stories. Although, mostly it would just be Sirius and the girls; the boys were off in their own little worlds.

Ron and his twin brothers would usually rather be up in the taken over attic (they traded rooms with Buckbeak from more space.) experimenting with new products for the joke shop than replaying each other in wizard chess fourteen billion times.

Draco and Harry had made a habit of spending hours together behind the locked doors of their room.

Hermione noticed all of theses going ons and she wasn't sure if she liked being stuck with Ginny day in and day out. Not that Ginny wasn't her best-friend or anything, it's just they ran out of things to do. All they did was gossip about what they hear around the large house.

Hermione thought she would share her last observation about the absent Harry and Draco with Ginny one day when they were playing chess.

"Don't you think it's a tad funny how all of the boys never hang around with us anymore?" Hermione said

"Yea, but I don't mind all that much. You and Sirius keep me entertained." Ginny said focusing on the board, plotting her next move.

"Oh and why not? I'd think you'd get bored of us."

"Well, you see my brothers as friends, I see them as brothers. I think they are annoying and even when we're doing nothing; they still annoy me with it. Only Ron doesn't bother me so much. Harry might as well be my brother, and ever since I stopped, well, crushing on him; they're all just prats! You and Sirius are different, your actually friends to me." Ginny smiled. "Knight to B5."

Ginny's knight glided over to its spot, smashing Hermione's pawn.

Hermione sat there, looking at the smashed pieces of her pawn, pondering what Ginny had said.. "I guess I understand that… I don't have any siblings so I don't know what that's like, exactly."

"Yea well, sometimes it's great, but honestly, I think your better off without any siblings." Ginny said, "Your move."

"I know… um... pawn to… oh I don't know, I forfeit." Hermione said with a sigh.

"Are you ok, Hermione?" Ginny asked, getting out of her chair to sit next to her.

Hermione looked into the concerned eyes of her best friend. She could trust Ginny right? Indeed, she could.

"I... well…" Hermione began, and then paused to think. "I'm in love with someone, and they are in love with me. We aren't together out in the open because we can't be…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… you're in love! And you didn't tell me! Who is it, Hermione!" Ginny said before she could finish.

Hermione blushed and looked to the floor. "Oh Ginny… it's so wrong, but it's.. It's so right… but if anyone found out, we wouldn't be able to be together anymore. No one knows about us except us and one other person…"

"Someone else knew before me? Oh you're going to get it... Who is it?"

Hermione mumbled something, still staring at the floor. She glanced up at Ginny quickly to see if she had heard her words. By the confused look on her face, she hadn't.

"What Mione?"

"It's… Sirius…"

Ginny sat back. And just stared, open mouthed.

"Please don't hate me, Gin! It's really not that horrible is it?" Hermione said, on the edge of tears.

Ginny shook herself out of her stunned state. "Oh no, Mione. It's fine." She scooted forward engulfing her into a hug, holding her close. "I think it's great. Who else knows?"

"Dumbledore, Sirius went to him before even trying to star anything with me. Dumbledore approved of it. You see," Hermione said as she sat back to look her friend in the eye. "He and I were sort of, fooling around a bit, and involved before he um... died… but anyway, when he came back, I knew I couldn't let him go again. I love him, Gin. I really, honestly do with all my heart and soul. He says he wants to be with me, but we cant really _be_ together until after next year… I wish it could be sooner…"

"Oh sweetie, it's ok. You'll get to be together before you know it. You know who else I believe has been getting _involved_?" Ginny asked with a smirk.

Hermione smiled knowingly. "Harry and Draco."

Ginny giggled. "I can't believe it! Harry and a _Malfoy_! Wait until Ron finds out! He'll be livid."

"Oh, Gin! _We're_ not even supposed to know" Hermione whined. "We really don't even _know_ if it's a true fact yet or not. But I do admit, if it isn't what's going on, I'll be wondering what spell Draco put him under to keep him captive for so long everyday." She smiled and gave a small giggle. "But personally, I think it's cute. It'll be good for Harry to have someone close to him in another fashion than just having all of us around all the time."

Ginny nodded with a smile. "I'm glad I got over him, I'd be heart broken right now other wise, but I really could care less, in fact I'm happy about it."

Hermione looked at her with a slightly confused, amused expression. "But Ginny, I thought you _loathed Malfoy_ and he was a _jerk and blah, blah, blah_…"

"Yea, well, I got over Draco awhile ago, remember? He and Harry are not on my list as potential boyfriends. In fact, there is not a single person on my list at the moment."

Hermione had started to comment but was interrupted when Sirius opened the door, swaggered in, and quickly closed it behind him. He saw who was sitting on the couch and smiled.

"'ello, ladies."

"Sirius!" Hermione said breathlessly as she squirmed in her seat a little.

Ginny looked at Hermione, giggled and said hello to him.

"What's up with you two?" Sirius said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing… right Gin?" Hermione said while trying to inconspicuously jab Ginny in the side with her elbow. Sirius being Sirius noticed of course.

Ginny just tried not to grin and nodded. She looked at Hermione who just kept looking at Sirius and started to giggle again.

Sirius huffed. "Alright, you squirming like you have ants in your pants you and you giggling like a bull goose loony trying to tell me there ain't anything going on. Right, now what's up?"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Ginny started talking before she could get one sound out.

Ginny grinned and giggled. "Well, now, Siri, don't get your knickers in a bunch; I know about, well, you know… you and her… I won't say a word! I promise on, um," she paused and then said." On my life! I promise on my life!" Ginny looked pleased, hoping that Sirius wouldn't freak out if she swore on her own life.

Sirius looked at her in feigned utter shock, and then grinned devilishly. "So that means I can kill you, right? If you break that promise?"

Ginny's giggles and smile faded. She gulped and stared for a second, then slowly gave a tiny nod.

Sirius laughed. "I'm kidding, Gin. I wouldn't kill you. I'd just... well, I won't get into that right now, and you might run off screaming like a little piggy." He gave his big Cheshire cat grin and started laughing like a maniac.

Sirius had changed when he went away, not a lot, but he did. No one really noticed except for Hermione and if anyone could tell if was her, and hooey-boy could she tell.

He had become a lot more rowdy and boisterous; a little odd for a man who just escaped from hell. She called it McMurphy Syndrome, naming it after a character in a book she read last summer called One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. The character, McMurphy, is a loud, charming, rebellious man with a strong sense of humor and comic exaggeration. According to Hermione, Sirius was all these things. McMurphy was also a manipulator, but not Sirius, he just seemed to joke around and pull pranks more; although he _could_ get Hermione to do anything.

Hermione didn't mind him being like this, it was better than what she expected to be, haunted and skittish.

"So, what's up, we plotting how to burn down the house?" Sirius said rocking on his heels, Cheshire grin still occupying his face.

"No, dear, we're discussing Harry and um... something…" Hermione said, catching herself before she slipped out the rumor. She heard Ginny sigh in relief.

"Discuss Harry and what? He and that little ferret? Leave em be, they'll say something when they're ready to." Sirius said with a laugh.

"How'd you know?" Ginny asked with a sly smile.

"Fathers, well, godfathers, know these kinds of things. Mothers aren't the only ones who get that eerie sense of what their kids has in their head. Anyway, I've heard em; I figured it out real quick."

Hermione and Ginny's jaws gaped open slightly. Hermione collected herself first and said, "What do you mean you _heard_ them?"

"Oh _c'mon_ Hermione, you and I do it all the time." He said, eyebrows cocked, smirking.

Hermione turned a red to rival Ginny and Ron's hair.

Ginny saw how red she was and started to giggle herself silly.

Hermione punched her in the arm, "Oh shut up, Gin." She looked to Sirius, "And you're now on restriction, buddy, for saying that." She smiled as his grin fell.

"What... oh no, Mione, princess, sugar, please… pppppllllleeeeeaaaaassssseeeee! Anything but that!" Sirius said, launching himself at her feet, taking her hands and kissing them between words.

Ginny looked at them in a total awed expression as Hermione just sat there awestruck herself.

"But Siri," Hermione whined, "How can you always make me forgive you? Your so... So... ERG!"

"It's because I'm a charming fool that's madly in love with you," He said as is smile grew bigger, "and you love me back."

Hermione just sat there staring at him with the sweetest smile on her face, she opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. She just blushed and looked at the floor then back up at him and bit her lip.

"Damn you, Sirius," She said as she slid off the couch onto him.

Ginny sighed, "Oh my god you two, jeez! I don't know how you've kept this a secret for so long now. You guys are so freaking cute it's disgusting. I hope Harry and Draco don't get as bad you."

"Oh Gin, your just jealous." Giggled Hermione.

Sirius smiled and whispered something that sounded like French into Hermione's ear.

Ginny pouted, "Damn right I'm jealous! Everyone's getting a boyfriend except me! Whatever, I'm going to go find somebody else to keep me entertained."

Ginny got up, walked over to the door and left.

Sirius smirked. "À ma tanière, mon amour ?" (To my den, my love?)

Hermione smiled, "Oui, de cours, chéri." (Yes, of course, darling.)

* * *

"What do you mean no?" Draco said haughtily while pacing in front of the grimy window.

"What does no mean, Draco? You should have figured it out by now, love." Harry said with a cheeky smile.

"They're going to find out eventually, Harry. If you don't say anything soon, then I will. I don't think Weasley will take it very well. If he has any issues with it, I'll curse him into the next millennia"

Harry glared at him, "You wouldn't dare, Malfoy."

Draco looked at him curiously, "Why don't you want anyone to know? Am I that horrible?"

Harry sighed and put his face in his hands. "No, Draco, you're not horrible. It's just that not everyone knows I'm gay and well…" He sat up, making the bed squeak, and then stared intently at the floor.

"You're afraid they'll be ashamed of you? Disgusted?" Draco asked quietly, kneeling in front him.

Harry gave a meek nod, never taking his eyes off the ground, avoiding Draco's gaze.

"Oh, Harry, I thought the same thing. I thought mother would hate me and disown me or something, but she didn't. She still loves me just the same, nothings changed. If they love you as much as I think they love you, and well, it's totally obvious you naïve prat, that they will love you no matter what. Trust me. Baby, I love you just the way you are, and I know they will to. Don't change a bit. "

Harry's watery emerald green eyes finally looked into Draco's loving silver ones. Harry smiled, causing a tear fall that Draco immediately wiped away.

"Plus, love, if they do 'disown' you, which they won't, but this is just so you'll feel better. Ok, if that happens, what did you think I would do? Just let them toss my boyfriend out the door? I don't think so, Harry. I'm always going to protect you" Draco got up, and sat on the bed next to him, wrapping him in his arms and gave him a passionate kiss.

Harry smiled into the kiss and moaned softly.

That moan drove Draco crazy, but he knew he couldn't go as fast as he would like to with Harry. He still slowly pushed Harry back onto the bed, leaning over him, kissing fiercely. Harry's hands went up the back of Draco's shirt, the touch making Draco shiver and moan, kissing Harry harder and more passionately. Draco's hands were tangled into the raven locks that belonged to his boyfriend who loved ever single second of it.

Draco realized he had to stop or he'd end up going over the edge so he lightened his kissing and slowed, breaking the kiss with Harry. He sat p fully, leaving Harry lying back, panting.

"Why do you _always_ stop?" Harry said in a breathy tone, "You know, I don't want you to."

Draco looked down to him, "Well, it's so I don't end up going to far, I want to take things slow with you. I don't want to mess this up. I won't let it get messed up."

"What do you think your going to do that I won't like/" Harry asked innocently.

"I'm going to end up shagging you bloody senseless that's what!" Draco practically groaned out.

"Oh…" Harry said, realization dawning on his face. "I never really thought about that. I do want that to happen one day though, you know."

Draco grinned mischievously, "Is that a fact, Mr. Potter?"

Draco turned and looked down at Harry. He grabbed his arm and pulled him upwards into an embrace. Harry smiled and leaned in to start kissing him again. Draco's hands started roaming again…

* * *

"I wonder what Harry's been up too with Jerko Malform all this time. I wonder if he's tried to kill him yet." Ron pondered while searching for the fire pixie powder on the ingredients shelf.

"Come the fuck on, Ron, what are you doing, whacking off?" Yelled George over the loud bubbling and sizzling noises coming from around the vast room.

"Yea, Christ, Ronnikins, hurry up! We only have about 45 more second to get this into the potion before it explodes!"

'Shit!" thought Ron as he grabbed the little orange bottle and ran over to George, and handed it to him.

George took the bottle, sprinkled some into a spoon, and then dumped it in to one of the bubbling cauldrons. The bright pink turned to a violent orange striped with vivid purple with the powdered fire pixie.

"Your lucky, Ron," Fred said smiling, patting him roughly on the back, "The powdered pixie wing is very expensive,"

"And hard to find" added George

"And, of course, obtain." Fred concluded.

"Yea, damn, bloody lucky, mate." George said to Ron, "now hurry up and stir the cauldron over there, yes, that green one."

Ron sighed. Why had he gotten himself working 24/7 with his bossy and pranking older twin brothers?

Something behind him exploded.

"Fuck!" was heard yelled somewhere over by the explosion and then maniac laughter.

"Damn, that must have been the Maniacal Mixture potion,." groaned Fred. "He'll be laughing like that until dinner. We're still working on the potion, not the remedy."

At the mention of the dinner, Ron's stomach was hungry for the lunch his mother probably had for him down stairs.

"Hey Fred, I'm going to go down and eat lunch. You want to come?" Ron asked, hands in his pockets.

"Nah, I need to watch Loopy here." Said Fred. "I'll eat something at dinner when he's better, I'm not hungry anyway."

"Alright, see you later, bro." Ron said opening the door

He walked down the narrow stairs onto the hallway and got to Ginny and Hermione's door. He knocked and Ginny answered.

"Hey, what's up, you been blowing the roof off the house again?" Ginny asked.

"Going down for lunch, want to come?" Ron said, ignoring her question, stomach grumbling again.

"Yea, sure." Ginny said stepping out into the hallway shutting the door.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked curiously.

"I don't know where she is, she could be anywhere." Ginny said sounding a tinged irritated.

"You mad at her?" Ron said dumbly.

"Yes Ronald, I am, now let's drop the subject." Ginny snapped.

"Alright, jeez." Ron said looking down at the old hall runner carpet. "Do you think we should, um, get Harry and Malform, I mean Malfoy?"

"Malform?" Ginny asked amused.

"Yea, um… well, just something I came up with while hanging out with the twins. We talk crap about Jerko all the time."

"Ron, you better not let anyone hear you call him that. Draco's had it hard just like we have, he's not bad, Ron." Ginny said defensively,

"Why? Do you know something I don't?" Ron interrogated.

"No, I don't know nothing about nothing." Ginny said smirking at him. "Oh look at whose room we're at." Ginny was looking at Harry and Draco's room door.

Ginny knocked. They heard scrambling and then a throat clear and Harry opened the door.

"Hey guys, what's up?" said Harry, looking a little flushed.

"Oh, you know. Hungry, wanted to get lunch, wanted you and Draco to come down with us," asked Ron with a slow expression of understanding, turning a light pink. "So, you want to?"

"Sure, I'll go." Said Draco sweeping out of the room past Harry into the hallway next to Ginny.

"Well, I guess I'll be going to." Harry said shutting the door behind him as he followed the others down the hall.

* * *

Harry was walking on clouds for sure, going down that hallway. Draco Malfoy had Harry Potter wrapped around his finger and Mr. Potter was not complaining.

Draco was everything Harry had needed for so long and it had been in front of his face disguised as an enemy the whole time.

Harry liked who he was with and who he was and who he considered those to be family were. He liked everything, just the way it was.

* * *

**"...The way you talk  
The way you movin' closer  
The way you kiss  
The way you dip inside me  
cause everytime  
Everytime I think about you  
I want you just  
just the way you are..."**

**- Milky "Just The Way You Are"**

* * *

**AN:** alright, so sorry about the wait again. I love you guys for reviewing, please keep doing it. If you want to know when it's updated, leave your email at the end of your comment and I'll let you know!

**Next Chapter:** Someone new, someone familiar, someone to love all rolled into the same person.


	8. Cruel Summer

DISCLAIMER: Just playing with someone else's toys. Not getting paid, so don't sue.

**AN:** ok, to my reviewers, I LOVE you guys. I hope the answer to my riddle isn't disappointing. I know this has taken…. 3 or so months to get out and I'm sorry, I've been having issues and also writers block whenever I tried to write but I finally got it out, please don't hate on me for taking so long and making this total crap… please stick with me!

8. Cruel Summer

* * *

Run… run… run… RUN!

That's all that was going through the girls head as she ran for her life toward the only thing that could save her: Hogwarts.

"…_Don't let them get you Taz! Run!" she heard her father yell, "Go to where it's safe!"_

Here eyes welled up with more fresh tears at the horrible memory, but she just kept running up the dark, tree lined pathway. The castle could be seen, up a ways, through the rapidly thinning trees.

"Almost there, you git, now come on! Don't give up now!" she yelled at herself.

She had watched both her parents die. She wished she had just kept running like she was right now, she wouldn't have had to see it.

_**

* * *

**_

__

_**FLAHSBACK**_

"CRUCIO!" shrieked the tall, robed man.

The beaten woman fell to the ground with a blood curdling scream, writhing in pain.

He lifted the spell, an evil grin spreading across his skull-like face. Voldemort glided over and lifted her up to eye level by the back of her head.

"So, you're Tagora Tipharah." he hissed as he slammed her head repeatedly into the wall. "Well, you won't be for very much longer, hmmm?" He just kept slamming her head into the wall.

"Stop it you vile snake, STOP IT!" screamed an angry man as he fought against the Death Eaters restraining him. They just held him there, making him watch his wife die.

Voldemort stopped and looked over at the broken man." Or what Ethan? You'll spit on me? Kick dirt in my face?" He let go of Tagora, letting her to crumple to the ground in a bloody heap. "You can't hurt me, and you know it. Your wand has been snapped, my men are restraining you, and what do you think you're going to do? Empty threats anger me, your parents learned that the hardest way possible. Oh what, you didn't know?" Voldemort cackled again, taking Ethan's face in his bony hand, bringing his face level to his own. "You'll be with you pathetic parents soon enough. Now, where is the girl?"

He searched with his red cat-like eyes around them, hoping to spot her in the trees.

Chills went up and down her spine as those horrible eyes ran over her hiding spot.

"Where are you, little girl? If you come out, your father will live, I daresay it's too late for your mother." He gave a malicious laugh.

The girl gave a low growl, she swore to herself that that vile creature will be struck down by her hand. She shifted after his eyes moved away from her. She looked at her dying, if not already dead, mother. _'I will be that monster's end…'_

"You don't want me to come out there and look for you, brat. The longer you hide, the worse you death shall be. I suggest you come out now, but I will admit, if you don't, I will absolutely love making your blood boil." Voldemort said while shooting stunners randomly out into the darkness, one missing her by mere inches.

"Don't listen to him!" Ethan screamed out into the dark forest surrounding them, "Don't let them get you Taz! Run! Go where it's safe. RUN!"

"She's already gone, Ethan, or just incredibly stupid. You taught her better than that didn't you? She can't hear you. She would have been out here minutes ago trying to save your pathetic life." Voldemort sneered, "Why'd you run, Ethan? Being king to a vast empire too hard for you?" He kicked Ethan in the stomach, knocking him ba. "Afraid your parents wouldn't like your Dark Elf bride?" He kicked him again. "You know, I've already killed Lucius. The only ones left now are she and Draco. The vampires helped me out with ridding the world of the Arioth line, they killed Gagalin and Tigra. …but now I need the children, where are they?"

"Even if I knew where they were, I wouldn't tell you, you fucking bastard!" Ethan spat. "I hope you never find them, I hope they crush you. I hope she gets both…"

"Crucio" Voldemort said fiercely.

The Death Eaters holding him let go and watched him writhe. Voldemort held it on him until he stopped screaming.

"Find the Elvin half-breed, kill her."

That's when she started to run.

_**END FLASHBACK**_

* * *

Albus Dumbledore had a quite relaxing evening for a change, not a single upheaval; Voldemort had not caused any major problems for about a week and a half now. The Weasley boys and Co. must be close.

He was just sipping tea, reading a few documents, lounging behind his large desk, when suddenly, a tall, raven hair girl ran into hiss office followed closely by McGonagall.

"They killed my parents!" the girl cried, collapsing to her knees, "Ethan and Tagora Tipharah are dead! _I saw **him **kill my parents!_"

The girl's electric blue eyes looked into Dumbledore's eyes which were not sparkling as they usually were. Dumbledore had risen from his seat, hands spread, leaning over the desk. She blinked, inhaled sharply and fainted. McGonagall caught her.

"What do we do, Albus? He'll be after..."

Hushing her, Dumbledore rushed over and scooped up the girl out of McGonagall's arms.

"Minerva, find out if Gagalin and Tigra Arioth are alright. If I'm right, they're already dead. Find out who killed them and when." He took a pinch full of Floo powder and stepped in to the flames. "Hurry, Minerva!"

"But where…"

"The only place that's safe. GO!"

Minerva McGonagall turned and ran out of the door faster than she had in her entire life.

"Number 12, Grimmauld Place!" Dumbledore shouted and vanished.

Harry and Draco broke apart from their kiss when they heard lots of shouting and people running past there door. Then someone knocked on it.

Harry ran to the door and opened it, a tall blonde woman went right by him into the room. It was Narcissa.

"They killed Ethan and Tagora, Draco. They're dead!" Narcissa bawled as she reached out for her son to hold her.

Draco standing there shocked took his mother into his arms. "What about..."

"She's fine. Ethan was smart, he told her always to run to Dumbledore at Hogwarts if he ever told her to go somewhere safe." She sobbed into his shoulder.

"Where is she?" Draco asked her calmly.

"She's in the spare room at the end of the hall. Molly, Minerva and Tonks are looking her over, she fainted you see, still out cold."

Harry looked down the hall.

Ron and the twins were hanging over the thin banister of the stairs, trying to see around the room's guard. Moody just kept trying to push them back up the stairs and then finally pulled out his wand. Harry could hardly make out anything, but Moody kept talking louder and louder.

"…And if I hear one little 'poof' from up there, I'm going to skin you alive. This girl needs to recover. Now get up them stairs damn it!" Moody growled lowly to the boys. "No one is allowed in this room. It's none of your business who's inside it either."

'_This girl must be important if Moody's protecting her. He doesn't trust anyone.'_ Harry thought as he looked to the scared and angry Draco.

"Draco," Narcissa squeaked, "I think she'd love for you to be there when she woke up. Bring your boyfriend if you want to."

Neither boy really comprehended much of what Narcissa had just said, they were in utter shock of this new predicament. The boys just followed her down the hall; Draco grabbed his boyfriend's hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Who is she?" Harry whispered to Draco.

"She's my cousin. Out of the thirteen I have, she's the only one I can tolerate." Draco whispered back sullenly. He sighed, "She's my best friend."

Harry saw a tear run down Draco's face. He squeezed his hand reassuringly. Draco gave a faint smile. Harry realized they had finally come to the door. Narcissa nodded to Moody who opened the door for them allowing them inside. Harry hadn't noticed the disturbed look on Moody's face when he noticed how close Harry was to Draco.

The women already inside the room were sitting around the small table over by the closed, grimy window. "Hello, Narcissa…." Molly said, and then she looked at Harry and Draco, "Hello boys."

"Hello." the boys chorused.

Draco realized he was still holding Harry's hand and released it, running his hand through his hair. Molly eyed him suspiciously.

"How is she, Molly?" Narcissa asked, looking intently on the sleeping figure of her dark haired niece.

"No physical harm, but she witnessed them die. She's just in shock. She was told to run and we're assuming she hid herself and watched it, the poor dear." Molly said tearfully.

Draco walked towards the bed slowly. He kneeled down besides her.

Harry noticed a stool over in a corner, took it and set it next to Draco for him to take and sit on. Draco scooted it over, closer to his sleeping cousin, and sat on it. He took her hand in his.

Her eyes fluttered slowly open. Harry was stunned at how bright blue they were.

Draco smiled as she looked up into his eyes. She smiled faintly, obviously tired.

"Hello, Tasma." Draco said, getting up from the stool, and sitting on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Tasma rolled her eyes. "I've been better, Draco." she said, slowly sitting up looking around her and then stopped dead. It was as if she had temporarily forgotten what had happened and then just remembered. A hunted look took over her face. "He came and killed them." She said hollowly. She looked down at her hands. "he did… god, he did…"

She looked into Draco's eyes again. "Daddy told me to run, but I didn't, well, I did... But I stopped and watched them die. I didn't want to watch them die, I thought they might go away, I thought I could save them!. I didn't mean to see it, I wish I hadn't. It was horrible, Draco! Why mum and daddy? Why!" She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into him.

Everyone was just watching the two sobbing teenagers, wishing they could do something for them, wishing they could do something for themselves.

* * *

"Well, seeing as how our new, sleeping guest is right below us, I don't think we'll be able to get any work done, do you boys?" George asked, sounding agitated.

"A day off?" Fred said with a hopeful grin.

"Oh thank Merlin," sighed Ron, "I thought you two were never going to let me have a break."

George glared at Ron, "Listen little bro, we didn't _ask_ you to move in here with us. We didn't _ask_ you to help us,"

"Actually, we _did_," piped in Fred

"Oh shut up, Fred." barked George.

Ron looked at his twin brothers, starting to back up slightly. They were going to start fighting. They never fought, ever.

"What's bothering you mate?" Fred questioned trying to place a hand on his twin's shoulder.

"Oh I don't know," George said sarcastically pushing his hand away, "Maybe it's the fact that there's some girl down stairs delaying our work! I wanted to have the new Maniacal Mixture line out by next week! But now, thanks to her, it'll be late!"

"We have deadlines?" Fred asked with annoyance tingeing his voice, "I wasn't aware we had deadlines, Georgie-boy, I thought we just got done when we got done."

"Look, Fred, this is serious business." George said angrily. "This is life now; this is how we live, Fred. It isn't just an idea or one big joke anymore. This is real! I don't think you get it!"

"You don't think I understand that? I do understand, damn it! It's just so what if we have a few days off, we've been working nonstop for… who knows how long! Business is booming! We're doing fine, George. We need a break, I think we deserve one."

George looked at them, then around him at the various projects put on pause. He finally sighed and said "Alright. We'll have a week or so off. Satisfied?"

"Very" Fred and Ron chorused.

"Let's go to the sitting room and play some chess." said Ron.

George sighed, "Oh, all right."

"Sounds good, little bro." said Fred, grinning.

* * *

There was a knock on the den door, Hermione got up and opened it to reveal a nervous looking Ginny.

Hermione greeted her and led her inside.

She entered the room; Sirius was sitting on the love seat looking kind of irritated, reading a book… Upside-down.

Ginny guessed she had interrupted something by the way Sirius was pouting and the way Hermione's hair was tussled.

"What you reading Sirius?" Hermione said, noticing too that the book was upside-down

"Nothing." He grumbled and set the book on the side table.

"Well, Gin, what's up?"

"Mum wanted me to come up here to tell Sirius that we um…We, umm... we have a new house guest." Ginny stuttered tensely.

"What?" Sirius groaned, "Not someone else, who is it?"

Ginny was relived at Sirius's reaction, she though he may have done something brash.

"Tasma Tipharah. Her parents were killed by You-Know-Who. She's Draco's cousin. Apparently, she's Lucius' sister's daughter..." Ginny said, easing into the situation..

Sirius's eyes widened, "Wow, Lucius' _sister's_ daughter... Tasma?" He got up and started pacing. "Her mother, Tagora, hasn't been spoken of in many, many years… Poor soul, she was a very good woman. She was the first child of Millicent Malfoy, a secret."

"Bu I thought…" Hermione started, but Sinus just ignored her and kept talking.

"She was pregnant with the love-child of the Dark Elf prince, Gagalin. This wouldn't have been a problem you see, he could have had her changed." Hermione raised her eyebrows intrigued.

Sirius grinned, "Elves can do that, change mortals into immortals. Tricky business, but on with the explanation and Hermione keep your mouth shut... Now, there wouldn't have been a problem, if the both of them weren't married to other people... When Tagora was born, she was taken and raised by Gagalin and his wife, Tigra. Tagora hated being a princes, she wanted to be an adventurer. One day she just got up and left, leaving a note to her parents telling them that she would come back soon and not to send anyone after her or to watch her. Her parents reluctantly let her do as she pleased. Gagalin had a soft spot, a major soft spot, when it came to his daughter. He had to do whatever she wanted him to do for her."

"So they just let her go?" Ginny asked in shock. "I wish my parent would do that."

"They knew she could take care of her self. She was 19 years old and had never left the city by herself for that whole time. Her father knew he had held her back too much and tried to make up for it by letting her go. He did, however, send someone to watch her anyway. Not a constant watch, more like a monthly check-up. One day the watcher came back and said Tagora had vanished. No trace of her. That was 17 years ago… The last thing anyone heard about Tagora was that she had run away with the high Elvin prince, Ethan. This fact sparked animosity between the two Elvin breeds." Sirius had a strange expression on his face. He looked amazed at what was coming out of his mouth.

Hermione took this all in. "Wait a second… Back to the whole 'Tagora is Lucius' sister' thing, why was he so fair?"

"Gagalin missed Millicent and came back to her one last time, they made love… she conceived Lucius. At first, she wasn't sure if he was Gagalin's or her husband, Xavier's. Once he was born though, she could tell, but Xavier could not." Sirius smiled as Hermione cocked an eyebrow and opened her mouth, but he quickly put a hand over it and continued talking. "He was blond and fair skinned like Millicent, but he had Gagalin's piercing steel grey eyes... Millicent just let Xavier believe Lucius was his and raised Lucius together. Gagalin didn't learn of him until Millicent wrote a letter to him on her death bed confessing it. Gagalin went to Lucius once, told him the truth. He didn't believe a word of it, he was a Pureblood wizard, not a 'half-breed elf'. They never spoke since."

"Then how come Tasma and Draco know about each other? Did Gagalin know about Tasma?" Hermione said, taking in every word Sirius was saying.

"No one spoke of Tagora anymore either. Somehow Lucius found out about her and then wanted to find her. He never did find her or believed anything Gagalin has told him. Tagora being Tagora found out about her brother and sought him out. Lucius, as she would say, was good looking but not a good looker, she fortunately was good at both. She showed up on his doorstep, three years after Gagalin had. She came with her husband and two year old daughter, Tasma. No one knew of Tasma until that day. Gagalin has never met Tasma or her cousin. Narcissa took Draco and Tasma upstairs to let the Elves discuss their business. Lucius finally listened to her and understood what he was. He told her that he would not change his life because of his blood. He was happy being what he was, but he was glad to have a better sister than the ones he grew up with. Tagora told him that he one day may have to become king of the Dark Elves, but he just shook his head saying that it would never happen."

"Then that means that Draco is an Elvin prince." Hermione said looking shocked. "Women can't take the thrown, only men. If Lucius is dead, than that means Draco is next in line for kingship... oh my god. I wonder if he knows…"

Sirius huffed, "I doubt it. Narcissa being her won't tell him until the day before the coronation."

"Wow," Ginny said, "I've kissed a prince." She giggled.

Hermione smiled. "Yes, well, he and Harry will rule the Elvin world."

"What?" Ginny squeaked excitedly.

"Harry?" Sirius asked frantically.

"Oh calm yourself, Sirius." Hermione said, patting him on the shoulder, "Draco can't take the thrown alone, he must have a mate. And since he's dating Harry right now, supposedly anyway, and they stay together," she smirked, "he'll become king as well."

"Oh my god, this is unreal." Sirius said.

"Harry's going to hate that. His life just keeps getting more and more complicated." Ginny sighed in sympathy for her friend upstairs.

"Yea, you can say that again." Sirius said tiredly. "That boy's gotten in over his head, boy, I'll tell ya…"

Hermione sighed and leaned into Sirius's chest.

Ginny smiled at the two. "I'm going to go up stairs and see what's going on."

"Wait," Hermione said. "I believe we shouldn't anything about the whole Elvin prince thing to _anyone_ yet. I'll go to Dumbledore with our findings and see if he knows or not, of course him being him, he already knows. He should be informed at once."

"Right, baby girl." He said kissing her on the forehead. "You know, you should tell Harry about **us** sometime soon, or I can do it if you want. "

Hermione smiled warmly at him, "How 'bout we tell him together?"

Sirius smiled, "Sounds damn good, baby."

"Ok, well," Ginny said, "I'm going up stairs. Are you coming up with me so you can tell Dumbledore, Hermione?"

"Yes, I'm coming." Hermione said as she got up and headed towards the door. She turned around and said, "I'll be right back, Sirius, don't miss me too much."

"I miss you already." Sirius whined

"No you don't!"

"How do you know?"

"Ugh, whatever, Snooky!"

"God, don't call me that!"

"Ok, Snooky"

"Hermione!"

The girls left giggling.

"So, you'll be where after I get down with Dumbledore?" questions a still smiling Hermione.

"In the sitting room," Ginny said, smile fading fast. "I'll just read or if anyone's there play chess with them or something. I don't know…I miss the boys, I wish they would come around more."

"Yea, it's too quiet down here without them." Hermione replied, looking down the hall at Dumbledore's study entrance. "Who knows, maybe they'll come down. Well, I'll see you later."

"Yea," said Ginny continuing down the hall, "See you."

Hermione stood looking at the door. She was about to knock when it opened and she came face to face with the man she was looking to talk to.

"Hello, Hermione. Did you need something?" Dumbledore said, eyes a twinkling.

"Well, I was with Sirius and Ginny, and we figured out something having to do with Draco and our new house guest."

Dumbledore smiled. "You are a very clever witch, Hermione. Come inside and have a seat in front of my desk, if you please, m'dear." He stepped aside allowing her entry.

She sat in the comfy, yet worn, chintz chair facing Dumbledore.

"So young lady," he said as he took his seat behind his large oak desk, "what have you come to tell me?"

"Well, sir, Ginny came and told Sirius and I about Tasma. He knew who she was and told us about her parents. Ginny told us that she was Draco's cousin and so he told us how that all worked and well, seeing how Lucius is gone, doesn't that mean that, well, Draco's going to be next inline for kingship."

Dumbledore listened to her intently, smiling. At then end of her little explanation clapped his hands together. "Well done, Hermione. Yes, Draco is intended to become the next King of the Dark Elves. His mother does not yet wish to reveal this to him, she fears it will scare him a little to much and seeing how he maybe extremely fragile at the moment seeing how he lost his father and now his aunt and uncle."

"What about Draco having to have a mate in order to take the throne? What will…?"

Before Hermione could finish, Dumbledore held up his hand.

"Trust me my dear, we have everything under control. I have spoken to Narcissa about the recent developments concerning her son and a certain young Mr. Potter. You shall find out when everyone else does about Mr. Malfoy's and Mr. Potter's fates. It is up to them you see, not I, to create this future. Now, I believe you'll find Harry in the kitchen, alone. I believe you wished to discuss something with him?"

Hermione blushed. "You always know don't you?"

"No, not always," He took off his glasses, smiling, to polish them on his robe. "I'm just a very educated guesser.'

"Thank you, Professor. If you need any help…"

"Thank you, I'll keep you in mind, Hermione. I'll see you at dinner, if not before."

Hermione got up and went to the door. "Thank you, Professor."

* * *

**"...It's a cruel, cruel summer  
Leaving me here on my own  
It's a cruel,  
It's a cruel cruel summer  
Now you're gone  
You're not the only one..."**

**-Bananarama "Cruel Summer"**

* * *

**AN:** ok, again, sorry for taking so damn long. hope you liked it. REVIEW! please, i love my readers and sorry for making you all think that i hasd abandoned you.

**Next Chapter: **Hermione and Sirius' tale of coming together...


	9. These Words

DISCLAIMER: not my toys, only playing with them.

9. These Words

* * *

Hermione went to the sitting room where she found Ginny and her three of her older brothers playing Exploding Sap together. She decided she should go down to the kitchen to take advantage of talking to Harry alone. 

She got to the kitchen to find Harry sitting at the table running his finger around the rim of the butter beer he was drinking. He had the latest Daily Prophet in his hands and was reading it quietly to himself.

"Hello, Harry!" Hermione said cheerfully as she went for the chair across the table from him.

Harry jumped at the sound of her voice, but soon found his own and said "Hello, Mione."

"You're not busy are you? If you are, I can come back later," she said as she started to get up from the chair she just sat in.

"Oh, no, no, no; its ok, Mione. Did you want to talk about something?" Harry asked tentatively.

"Well," she said with a smile, she flicked her wand over the shoulder locking the kitchen door and placing a silencing charm on the room. She continued sitting back down, "There is something I wanted to tell you for along time, but I never could. You see, I accidentally did something one day that I shouldn't have, but it ended up turning into something wonderful and…"

Harry couldn't help it and burst out. "Oh god, are you pregnant or something, Hermione?"

"Oh, goddess no. I'm not pregnant, I'm dating Sirius." Hermione giggled out.

Harry sat back with a smile and a sigh. "Oh alri… wait, what did you say?" He then just started talking way too fast, "Your, with Sirius? Seriously? When, what, how? Why didn't you tell me before? I… But how did…?"

"Oh, breathe, Harry! It happened a long time ago," She started with a vacant smile. "Well, not _that_ long ago. It was last summer, but he had secretly been writing to me as well since the end of third year. It all just happened so fast after I told him…"

_**

* * *

**_

_**FLAHSBACK**_

"_Oh thank gods it's finally Thursday!"_ thought Hermione excitedly.

Most of the students at Hogwarts can not wait for it to be Friday, but Hermione certainly had her reasons to be unusually happy on Thursdays, her letter form Sirius came. No one but Hermione knew that Sirius had been secretly writing to her since he escaped with Buckbeak. They both decided not to mention any of this to Harry, why should he care anyway, right? So, every Thursday at six o'clock, right before dinner, Hermione would see an owl at her dormitory window with a fresh letter from Sirius.

Her day went by rather quickly in anticipation for six o'clock to roll around.

She, Harry and Ron we're all in the Common Room talking about the days classes.

"Snape was horrible as usual; a foot and a half on the Nomadi Crixaz Potion?" Ron flared. "Ridiculous. I hate having Double Potions, especially with Malfoy. He always helps Snape with reasons to give us detentions."

Harry grumbled in agreement with Ron.

Ron noticed Hermione looking distracted. "What's up with you today, Mione? Anything interesting happen in Ancient Runes?"

"Oh nothing, nothing at all." She replied with a dreamy spaced-out smile. She turned and looked towards the clock.

The clock struck six o'clock, chiming its arrival.

All Harry and Ron heard was "See you at dinner!" and with a brown, fuzzy flash, Hermione was up the dormitory steps.

She got to her window just in time to see the toucan perch outside on her window sill. She opened the window to let the large beaked bird into the dormitory. She quickly took off the letter tied to his left leg.

"Thank you, Toucan Sam." She giggled as she unrolled the scroll. 'Sam' flew up onto Lavender's bed canopy, awaiting her reply letter.

" _Mione-_

_Hope things are well. Harry tells me his scar has been hurting, I'm flying north as soon as possible. If you can get the chance, try to see me… bring Harry and Ron too, of course. I figure though, if I do go up there I'll just end up getting caught. What do you think? Oh bugger it, I'm going up anyway. I really do hope to see you… and Ron too of course. Well now I'm just babbling…_

_- Sirius _"

Harry had been right? Sirius was really coming? And he just wrote him back telling him not to come!

"Oh damn it!" She snapped. At her sudden shout, the startled toucan flew up and landed on Hermione's canopy.

"Oh, sorry, Sammy. Just a second!" Hermione said, anxiety tingeing her voice and she grabbed a scroll and quill to write her lengthy reply letter. She most defiantly wanted him to know that she was extremely worried about his trip north. She also, of course, did not forget to tell him the she would be absolutely devastated, no, heartbroken, if she did not get to see him ever again. Even though Hermione certainly did not want to see, well, hear about Sirius being behind the cold, enchanted iron bars of Azkaban, or even worse, Kissed! But she certainly did wish to see him again. The more and more in their letters back and forth together have they being getting longer and more intimate. Hermione may have already been 'crushing' on Sirius, but now he seemed to be returning the feelings; through his letters anyway.

_**END FLASHBACK**_

* * *

"Wow, Mione. You had been writing to him the whole time?" Harry said with a smile as he rubbed his forehead. "I still don't know why you two didn't tell me earlier, it's not like I would have freaked out or anything." 

"Well, this was a big deal that could have gotten Sirius and everyone else who knew, in a lot of trouble and he didn't need anymore problems. How do you think Mrs. Weasley would have taken it? How she still will react!" Hermione's voice changed to mimic Mrs. Weasley, "'Oh, Hermione, he's old enough to be your father! I never thought I'd see the day you'd do something like this!'"

Harry burst out laughing, her impression of Mrs. Weasley sounded just like her.

"It isn't funny! You know that's how se would react! She'd probably end up passing out first, of course… Anyway, I'm sorry we couldn't tell you. The only one who knows of us, besides you now, is Dumbledore and Ginny."

"Ginny knows? You told her before me!" Harry looked affronted.

Hermione had an uncomfortable look on her face. "Well, she kind of figured it out by herself…she forced it out of me."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Oh ok fine, I did tell her. But don't be mad, you know now…" Hermione said worriedly.

"Yes I do. Anyway, keep on with your story." Harry said with a smile. "I don't care who you told before me as long as you're the one to tell me and not Ron and his big blabbering mouth."

Hermione laughed, "Ok, now where was I?" She paused or a second and then remembered. "Alright, well, we had been writing each other as you know and really didn't get closer until last year when we all came here for the summer. You got here about two or three weeks after we all arrived. Sirius was enthralled to have someone else in the house besides just him and Kreacher. He was kind of, well, skittish around me at first. He would see me coming down the hall and would turn into a room where he had no business being, or would jump ten feet up in the air when I spoke to him. Then, after four days of that, I found a note on my pillow. The note was from Sirius apologizing for the way he's been acting, so on and so forth, and asked for me to go up to his room at eleven that night."

_**

* * *

**_

_**FLAHSBACK**_

"_Hermione-_

_I need to talk to you, I know I've been acting strange lately and well… damn, you know I can't express myself well in words; I'm not good at that like you are. Will you come up to my room, around eleven tonight? So we can talk? Please?_

_- Sirius _"

Hermione had been pacing around her room ever since eight-thirty, when she read the note for Sirius the first time. Now on her one hundred forty seventh time reading it, and two and a half hours later, she was starting to get really nervous.

"_Gods, what am I going to say? What am I going to do? What am I going to wear?"_ Hermione's thoughts were starting to get frantic.

What if she said something wrong? What if she had been assuming the wrong thing this whole time? What if Sirius wanted nothing to do with her and she was just being a silly little girl?

No, Sirius wouldn't be like that. Would he?

She sat down on her bed and looked at the old, dusty vanity in the corner.

Hermione got up and walked over to it. She looked into the mirror. Her hair was frizzy as usual and she looked pallid. She sighed and looked around on the tabletop for a hair brush.

"It's in top right drawer."

Hermione froze and slowly looked around, then into the mirror. Her reflection had a cocky smile and had its arms crossed.

"What, never seen an enchanted mirror before? Oh, and near the brush is an old anti-frizz solution. It maybe a tad old, but it sure works." Hermione's reflection said with a smile as it motioned towards the drawer. "Go on, dear, nothings going to hurt you in there, trust me."

Hermione looked down at the drawer, took a breath and opened it. There was an old silver brush lying inside. Next to it was a small, dusty bottle. She smiled and took both objects out and sat them on the tabletop.

"See! I told you they were in there." The reflection huffed. "You should be more trusting, loosen up! You're so up tight all the time! Bet by the time your thirty you'll have grey hair."

"I will not!" Hermione mumbled angrily. She looked up into the mirror. "You better be quiet. I'll shatter you into a million pieces if you don't be nice to me this instant!"

The mirror clicked its tongue. "You think Sirius will appreciate you breaking his mother's vanity mirror? Sure he didn't like the woman much, but she was still his mother and he loved her…sort of. Anyway, he wants to give it to you, you know."

Hermione eyes light up, "He what…?"

"He wanted you to have this room, it was his mothers. The nicest, grandest room in all Black Manor, was to go to Hermione, that being you correct?" The mirror said wisely.

"How do you know this?" Hermione questioned breathlessly.

"Mirrors know everything." Smiling, the mirror poked out its tongue at her. "You better hurry, it's almost eleven."

Hermione squeaked looking over at the clock. Ten minutes.

"Shit!"

"My, my, young lady, so well educated and still such a dirty mouth!" The mirror play scolded her.

"Oh shut up and tell me how to use this stuff!"

Her mirror giggled, "So easily cracked aren't we, dear?"

* * *

Sirius had been sitting in the dark for over thirty minutes. The dark allowed him to think without getting distracted by material objects around him. 

What if Hermione didn't come? What if he had been reading the letters with false hopes and making them say what he wanted them to? What if she thinks he is a silly old man who doesn't have a chance in the world with her! She could have Harry or that Ron kid, or any of the boys at Hogwarts. Why him? He was old enough to be…

His thoughts we interrupted when he heard a faint knocking on the door.

Sirius thought his heart my burst though his chest. He got up and magicked the lights on.

His hand shook as he reached out for the door knob. His fingers grasped it weakly and turned it slowly until it clicked, and pulled it back to reveal who had been knocking on his door.

"Hey Sirius, Molly wanted me to ask you where the extra pillows are. Poor Harry needs a few more." Asked Arthur.

Definitely not Hermione.

"Um, I have a few. How many you need?" Sirius croaked.

"Two or three… you should drink some water, you sound a bit horse." Arthur said with a smile of concern.

Sirius did his best to smile back, "Thank you, hold on a second and I'll get you those pillows." He backed away from the door, grabbed two pillows off his bed and handed them to Arthur.

"Thanks mate. Harry will appreciate it. You should come down and see him soon, he likes you a lot you know."

Sirius looked around Arthur down the hall and spotted Hermione coming.

"Yea, something like that." Sirius said obviously with him mind elsewhere, "You should get those pillows to him; he'll get better sooner with them rather than without them. Tell him that I'll come see him tomorrow if he really cares. Goodnight Arthur."

"I'm sure he cares, Sirius…"Arthur started

"Goodnight Arthur." Sirius said pointedly.

"Right, goodnight Sirius." Arthur said turning to walk away, looking a bit confused.

When Arthur was gone, Sirius no longer saw Hermione. Maybe he had imagined her there. He sighed in defeat. It was exactly eleven o'clock and Hermione wasn't there.

As soon as he went to close the door he felt a strong resistance and there stood Hermione with her hand against the door. They just stood there looking at each other both extremely nervous and not quite sure what to say. Hermione finally just pushed him back into his room and shut the door behind her.

"I thought it would look odd if we were just standing in the hallway staring at each other all night." Hermione said with a nervous giggle, making sure not to look Sirius in the eye.

She then walked over to the chairs in front of the fireplace and motioned for him to sit. Sirius obeyed and sat. He expected Hermione to take the seat next to him but she didn't, instead she started to pace slowly looking from the ceiling to Sirius's face then to the floor.

Sirius started twiddling his thumbs. He usually was bold and daring, saying what he wished when he wished to, but for some reason he was scared he would say something wrong and scare Hermione off.

"I don't know what I was thinking coming here. If we do what I really want us to do, we could loose some many things and some many bad things could happen. Another part of me just doesn't care about what anyone things." She looked at him and stopped pacing. "Ever since I met you I've been attracted to you. You have this mysterious air about you and you never take no for an answer. You're strong, smart, handsome, courageous, bold, daring… everything thing I've pictured my perfect match to be. People think I want a calm and collected bookworm, but I don't! I want a rugged _man_. I'm more mature and not to mention smarter than all of the girls at Hogwarts, even the ones in the years ahead of me! The boys at Hogwarts are juvenile who still laugh at fart jokes and fling boogies at each other. And that's all I got to say. I love you, is that ok?" She flung herself into his arms and looked into his surprised, yet pleased eyes.

Sirius was then officially speechless. He for some reason convinced himself she didn't love him, yet always knew she did.

"Yes, love. That's ok. I love you too." He finally whispered to her.

Hermione's eyes started to tear up, she smiled a smile he had never seen before. She leaned closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes capturing his lips with her own.

There kiss was interrupted by a loud crash upstairs followed by what sounded like Mrs. Weasley yelling at the twins.

Sirius cursed them under his breath which Hermione heard of course, but it just made her laugh.

"Are you sure about his Hermione? I'm older enough to be your father. And what_ will_ people say about us? I don't think many people would like the thought of one of the world's smartest witches falling in love with an Azkaban escapee who's old enough to be her own father. God, think of what Molly will say." Sirius looked momentarily horrified, but shook it off. "And what about Harry? I'm basically his father; well I would _like_ to be basically his father. What will he think? Me, Sirius, in love one of his best friends. He won't like it at all!"

"Well, I believe we can't decide by ourselves what to do. Who can we…? Dumbledore. We will talk to Dumbledore about it. I want to be with you so bad Sirius, I just don't know if we should. It could just cause so many different things to happen…"

"Don't worry about it. We'll figure it all out, baby. This is amazing though, I've never just start up been in love with someone. I'm just in love with you."

Hermione smiled. "Neither have I, but I know I love you too."

**_END FLASHBACK_**

* * *

"…And so we went and talked to Dumbledore, who suggested we do what our hearts told us. He also suggested to not telling anyone about our situation until we were sure we were ready to deal with everyone questioning it. It was seriously amazing Harry, I really have just been in love with him, we get along perfectly, and it's just so…" 

"Weird or amazing?" Harry said with a teasing smile.

"Oh shut up, it was amazing." Hermione said as she smacked his arm.

"Well, I'm glad you finally told me about all this. I don't like thinking your hiding things from me, Mione. If you ever want to talk about anything, including Sirius issues, don't hesitate."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you Harry, you really don't know what that means to me. I need people to support me and Sirius being together, it makes it easier that way."

Harry seemed to ponder something a minute, then said "Yes, I know what you mean. Hermione, I have something to tell you too."

"If this is about Draco, I think I know what it's about."

Harry looked a tad dumbfounded. "What do you mean?" He looked around the room as if checking to make sure no one else was in the room, the continued. "Is it that obvious we're interested in each other?"

Hermione laughed, "Harry, come on! You spend most of the day in your room, with him. Not to mention the door is constantly locked…"

"Ok, yea I guess we haven't been that cautious about the whole thing. What do you think we should do?" Harry said sincerely.

"Follow your heart." Hermione grinned and took Harry's hand and patted it. "Come on, I believe there is a bunch of Weasley children in the sitting room waiting to beat us at chess or Exploding Sap."

Harry sighed. "Oh alright. But I really wanted to go see Draco."

"He should be left with Tasma, they need each other right now, don't worry, he'll be back. The ones you really love always come back to you in the end," there was a knock on the door. "Or even sooner than expected."

Harry got up quickly and opened the door to reveal, as Hermione predicted, Draco.

"Harry, I missed you…" Draco stopped dead seeing Hermione sitting at the table.

"Hello, Draco. It's ok, he told me." Hermione said nonchalantly.

"Oh." Draco said looking a bit stunned.

"We were just going up to the sitting room to play chess, want to come with us?" Harry asked his boyfriend.

"Yea, sure, that sounds… interesting." Draco said with a sigh.

"I'm sure you to would rather go to your room to talk about things or something like that, I'll see you both later." And with that, Hermione was headed up to the sitting room.

The boys both just stood there for a second, then Draco offered Harry his hand.

"Well, shall we?" Draco said with a smirk.

Harry smiled warmly, "Lets."

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry, pulling him close kising him passionately. Harry kissed him back fiercely.

When they broke apart Harry smiled and asked "What was that for?"

"Just becuase I love you. Can't say it anyother way."

* * *

**"...These words are my own, from my heart flow,  
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you,  
There's no other way to better say  
I love you, I love you  
Thes words are my own, from my heart,  
I love you I love you, thats all I got to say  
cant think of a better way, and thats allI got to say  
I love you, is that ok?"**

**- "These Words" - Natasha Bedingfield**


End file.
